Surface structure analysis of injection molded highly filled polymer melts

Material components' separation limits to a great extent the efficiency of injection molding of highly filled polymer melts. An uneven redistribution of particle filler within a polymer melt is evaluated with the specially developed testing mold allowing observing the progress of separation during injection molding. Then, scanning electron microscopy of the particular areas derived from the testing mold combined with energy dispersive X-ray analysis of the distribution of elements typical for filler and analytical approach are employed to derive a quantitative parameter describing the tendency of highly filled feedstocks to the separation. POLYM. COMPOS., 34:1553–1558, 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers